


By any means necessary

by SketchLockwood



Category: 15th Century CE RPF, Historical RPF, The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 12:07:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20192023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchLockwood/pseuds/SketchLockwood
Summary: 1477, Thomas Burdett, John Stacey and Thomas Blake have been arrested for treason and sorcery. What happens within the palace walls?





	By any means necessary

_The Palace of Westminster_  
London.  
October 1478. 

Elizabeth Shore sat on the floor; her head rested against the inner thigh of her love.

Edward, her King and lover was reading. She had never seen him so relaxed, so easy with a decision. She knew the pressure which had sat on him the last weeks, as he had found that men were plotting his demise – his son’s as well.

Yes, she had seen it in his eyes and she knew who was to blame. George of Clarence’s name had always been a problem for her, but for her love, it was becoming a name of torment.   
  
When George had overseen the execution of Ankarette Twynyho on suspicion of murdering the Duchess of Clarence, Ned had almost blown his top.

She had thought that he would have George strung up in the Tower by his thumbs that day. Yet he did not, despite that most of his court would have sympathised. Most, except those Ned loved the most. For Richard of Gloucester, Cecily Neville, William Stanley, John Howard and even William Hastings would not have approved. Those die hard loyals whom Ned had nearly ignored under Woodville pressure.

On this, she had agreed with the Woodville’s and had been ordered to an audience with the Queen to try and persuade Edward it would be a good idea to have George taken to the Tower for the Duke’s ‘own safety’.

Things had fallen silent with Clarence soon after when he had been denied the opportunity to ask for the hand of Mary of Burgundy in marriage – by his brother. Clarence had stormed from court after that.

Now however things had begun to stir, smoke was rising and Ned would stop the fire before it burnt him.

Three men had been arrested for witchcraft and more importantly for treason and Ned was not without his doubts that George of Clarence was behind it. John Stacey, a renowned astronomer, Thomas Burdett and Thomas Blake had all been found to have association with the Duke – however distant. Edward could not be naïve in this situation.   
  
Yet he had ben reserved. He had not accused George of treason outright. That had been her persuasion, for he had been so angry that he had wanted to.

These three men had been alleged to be predicting Edward’s demise and with it they had been accused of predicting the death of the Prince of Wales. Ned had been livid/

Now all three men resided in the Tower of London with the death penalty looming over them as soon as one did slip up enough to tell of their crimes.

Elizabeth looked up as the door opened, William Hastings stormed in, slamming the door shut behind him. “You are threatening Thomas Blake with death?”  
  
“He is accused of treason.” Edward spoke casually, as though he had been asked the weather. He did not put the book down, did not skip a word she saw as he continued reading.

“Edward-“  
  
“You should know better than to question me Will.” His voice was slightly more stern, the book had lowered an inch. He continued his reading, sighing when Hastings did not do what he wanted.

“I’ll question you on this. I do not care if you execute Burdett or Stacey. Stacey’s guilt is without doubt, but Blake? He is a man of the cloth.”  
  
“Is he?” Ned put the book down, shifting so her head no longer comfortably rested against his leg. She frowned. “I must not have known.” His voice was laced with sarcasm.   
  
“Are you serious? You would risk you eternal soul for this? I do not ask you to pardon them-“  
  
“As of yet, I cannot pardon, they have not been found guilty.”

“Your wife will ensure they are, because then she can suggest that George was behind it all.” Hastings stopped a moment. “Jesu but she already has convinced you of that.”  
  
“I do not need _convincing_.” Edward took a breath before he stood. She heard his knee click, the way it always did. He had told her once he had injured it at Towton, it never hurt until recently. Recently she had noticed his age was adding to his discomfort. He did not let it show now, she knew he would not show weakness – not even to the man who knew his every weakness. “Not by my wife Will, the only person who needed to convince me was George himself.”  
  
“You’ll ruin yourself.”

“Rich words coming from the man who I rose up from nothing. Don’t forget I can drop you down again.” Will scoffed. “Don’t forget that I _will _if pushed my lord. There are many more loyal who would jump to take your place.”  
  
“More loyal?” She winced, hearing the hurt in Hastings’ voice. “That idle threat does not worry me, and so be it if it is not idle. I forgive your ignorance of my loyalty and know my duty to you. The loyalty I owe you is to try and help you. If you execute Blake there will be an uprising. The church will damn you-“  
  
“Very well, your concerns are noted Will. Now, for your boldness I can say I recognise your loyalty.” Edward’s voice was hard, cold, she felt his tension though he was now several steps away. “Since you are so loyal, you can take yourself to the Tower and you yourself can oversee their confession.”  
  
“And if they won’t confess?”  
  
“They’ll confess, Will, by _any_ means necessary. You’ll make them confess and then you’ll have them tried. When they are tried, you’ll ensure all three are sentenced to death. I’ll deal with the consequences.”

She saw Hastings’ jaw tense up, saw him bite his lip before he offered a bow, crossing himself as he stormed from the room.


End file.
